I can remember when I took a public speaking course back in college. Participating in this class was not optional – you had to talk and give speeches to get a grade. I found it uncomfortable. I just didn’t like to get up in front of people back then. It made me nervous. I will never forget what the professor told us in that class; she said that you will use these skills during your entire career. At my maturity level at that stage in my life, I thought she was crazy. However, I needed to pass the course, so I did as instructed! Nonetheless, throughout my career, I have often thought about her and what she said. She was spot on!
You are probably wondering why I would write a blog about public speaking. What that professor said was – and has remained – so true that it’s worth talking about.
It is scary, nerve racking and intimidating to talk in front of people – whether it’s your work crew or thousands of people at a ship christening. It is hard because we put pressure on ourselves. We want to do a good job of communicating with the audience; we don’t want to look bad, make a mistake or use the wrong words; and we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. If you feel this way, you’re not alone!
I can’t tell you how many times I have talked to an audience over the course of my career. However, even now, I get a little nervous before I start each time. I’m certainly not as nervous about it as I once was, but different situations can raise my stress level even today. I’ll give you an example.
Each year I have an opportunity to present to the General Dynamics Board of Directors. This is a group of highly respected professionals who have been extremely successful in their chosen careers. Along with the members of the Board, my boss and my peers are also in the room – all very successful individuals. This, I promise you, is an intimidating group of people to be in the room with, let alone have to present to. I had 40 minutes to share our BIW story with them and then answer their questions. I was nervous leading up to the beginning of my presentation, but that subsided as I started to speak. Before I knew it, it was over – and I was relieved.
I share this example to let you know that it’s natural to get nervous about public speaking and presenting to an audience. But being nervous is not a reason to avoid doing something. As you think about career development, you will need to seek out opportunities to practice and hone your skills. It doesn’t matter if you are a Front Line Supervisor or the company President, you will have to do some level of public speaking as part of your job. So, I suggest you try to embrace it – learn how to do it, practice it and take opportunities to speak when they arise. As we all heard when we were little, practice makes perfect; but practice and repetition also grow your confidence and decrease at least some of the nervousness. Learning how to speak effectively to groups of people is one of the important ways we grow as leaders.
See you on the deckplates!
Safely Execute High-Quality Work
Chuck
President, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works